Response time is the first impression of your customer service. Before customers know if you can solve their problem, they know how long you made them wait.
This guide covers everything about response time: what to measure, how to measure it, industry benchmarks, and proven strategies to improve.
What Is Response Time?
Types of Response Time Metrics
First Response Time (FRT) Time from when customer submits inquiry to when they receive first human (or AI) response.
Most important metric. Sets customer expectations for the entire interaction.
Average Response Time (ART) Average time between customer messages and agent responses throughout a conversation.
Important for ongoing conversations, especially back-and-forth troubleshooting.
Median Response Time The middle value of all response times, less affected by outliers than average.
More accurate for understanding typical customer experience.
90th Percentile Response Time The time by which 90% of customers receive a response.
Critical for understanding worst-case customer experience.
What Gets Measured
Start point: When customer submits ticket/message/call
- Email: When email received by system
- Chat: When chat message sent
- Phone: When call enters queue
- Social: When message/mention posted
End point: When first response delivered
- Email: When reply sent
- Chat: When agent message appears
- Phone: When agent picks up
- Social: When reply posted
What should NOT count as response:
- Auto-acknowledgment emails ("We received your message")
- Chatbot asking for basic info before routing
- Hold music
- Queue position announcements
Response Time Benchmarks 2025
By Channel
| Channel | Excellent | Good | Acceptable | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Chat | Under 30 sec | 30-60 sec | 1-3 min | Over 3 min |
| Under 1 min | 1-5 min | 5-30 min | Over 30 min | |
| Instagram DM | Under 15 min | 15-60 min | 1-4 hours | Over 4 hours |
| Facebook Messenger | Under 15 min | 15-60 min | 1-4 hours | Over 4 hours |
| Under 1 hour | 1-4 hours | 4-24 hours | Over 24 hours | |
| Phone | Under 20 sec | 20-60 sec | 1-3 min | Over 3 min |
| SMS | Under 5 min | 5-30 min | 30-60 min | Over 60 min |
| Twitter/X | Under 15 min | 15-60 min | 1-4 hours | Over 4 hours |
By Industry
| Metric | Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Average FRT (chat) | 1 min 20 sec |
| Average FRT (email) | 6 hours |
| Customer expectation | Under 5 min for pre-sale |
SaaS / Software
| Metric | Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Average FRT (chat) | 2 min |
| Average FRT (email) | 8 hours |
| Tier differentiation | Enterprise: 15 min, Basic: 4 hours |
Financial Services
| Metric | Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Average FRT (phone) | 3 min 30 sec |
| Average FRT (email) | 12 hours |
| Regulatory consideration | Must respond within 24 hours (many jurisdictions) |
Healthcare
| Metric | Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Average FRT (phone) | 4 min |
| Average FRT (portal) | 24 hours |
| Urgent inquiries | Under 1 hour |
Telecommunications
| Metric | Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Average FRT (phone) | 5 min |
| Average FRT (chat) | 3 min |
| Industry challenge | High volume, complex issues |
By Time of Day
Customer expectations shift based on when they contact:
| Time Period | Expectation Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Business hours (local) | 1x (baseline) |
| Evening (5pm-10pm) | 1.5-2x acceptable |
| Weekend | 2-3x acceptable |
| Late night (10pm-6am) | 3-4x acceptable |
But: Top performers maintain fast response times 24/7, which is a competitive advantage.
The Impact of Response Time
On Customer Satisfaction
| Response Time | CSAT Impact |
|---|---|
| Under 1 minute | 90%+ CSAT typical |
| 1-5 minutes | 85%+ CSAT typical |
| 5-30 minutes | 75%+ CSAT typical |
| 30-60 minutes | 65%+ CSAT typical |
| Over 1 hour | Under 60% CSAT typical |
Every minute of wait time after expectations are exceeded decreases satisfaction.
On Customer Behavior
Abandonment rates by wait time:
| Wait Time | Abandonment Rate |
|---|---|
| Under 30 sec | 5% |
| 30 sec - 1 min | 10% |
| 1-2 minutes | 18% |
| 2-5 minutes | 35% |
| 5-10 minutes | 50% |
| Over 10 minutes | 65%+ |
Conversion impact (pre-sale inquiries):
- Response under 5 minutes: 21x more likely to convert
- Response 30+ minutes: Lead is essentially lost to competitor
- 78% of customers buy from whoever responds first
On Revenue and Retention
| Response Time Performance | Customer Lifetime Value Impact |
|---|---|
| Top quartile (fastest) | +15-25% CLV |
| Average | Baseline |
| Bottom quartile (slowest) | -20-30% CLV |
How to Measure Response Time Correctly
Setting Up Measurement
1. Define your metrics clearly
Document exactly:
- What is the start point? (customer action)
- What is the end point? (first response)
- What counts as a response? (what does not count)
- How do you handle transfers?
2. Track by segment
At minimum, track separately:
- By channel (email, chat, phone, social)
- By time period (business hours vs. after-hours)
- By priority/urgency level
- By customer segment (if applicable)
3. Use multiple metrics together
| Metric | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Average FRT | General performance indicator |
| Median FRT | Typical customer experience |
| 90th percentile FRT | Worst-case experience |
| % under target | SLA compliance |
Common Measurement Mistakes
Mistake 1: Counting auto-replies as first response
Auto-acknowledgments like "Thanks for contacting us, we'll respond within 24 hours" should not count as first response. They set expectations but do not help the customer.
Fix: Configure system to track first human (or substantive AI) response.
Mistake 2: Only measuring business hours
Reporting "average FRT: 2 hours" when that only counts business hours is misleading. A customer who emails at 6pm and gets a response at 10am experienced 16 hours wait, not 2.
Fix: Report both business-hours and calendar-time metrics.
Mistake 3: Ignoring the distribution
"Average FRT: 5 minutes" could mean everyone gets 5-minute response, or half get instant response and half wait 10+ minutes.
Fix: Track median and percentiles alongside average.
Mistake 4: Not tracking by priority
A 4-hour response to "I'm curious about your product" is different from 4-hour response to "Your platform is down and I'm losing money."
Fix: Segment by priority/urgency level with different targets.
Strategies to Improve Response Time
Quick Wins (Implement in 1-2 Weeks)
1. Set clear internal targets
Current state: No defined response time goals Quick win: Define and communicate channel-specific targets
| Channel | Target | Accountability |
|---|---|---|
| Chat | Under 60 seconds | Real-time dashboard |
| Under 4 hours | Manager review | |
| Phone | Under 45 seconds | Queue monitoring |
2. Improve routing
Slow routing = slow response. Audit your routing:
- Are tickets going to the right queue first time?
- Is skill-based routing working?
- Are priority tickets actually prioritized?
3. Create saved responses for common questions
Agent time spent typing = customer time spent waiting.
- Identify top 20 questions
- Create approved response templates
- Train agents on when/how to use
4. Triage and prioritize
Not all inquiries need the same response speed:
- Pre-sale inquiry = high priority
- Billing issue = high priority
- Feature request = lower priority
- General feedback = lower priority
Medium-Term Improvements (1-3 Months)
1. Implement AI/automation for first response
AI can provide instant response for:
- FAQ answers (immediate resolution)
- Information gathering (while waiting for human)
- Simple transactions (password reset, order status)
- After-hours coverage
2. Optimize staffing to demand
Match agent schedules to ticket volume patterns:
- When are peaks? (Staff up)
- When are valleys? (Allow training, catch-up)
- What is weekend/holiday pattern?
3. Reduce handle time for complex issues
Faster handle time = more capacity = faster response to next customer:
- Better agent tools (information at fingertips)
- Improved knowledge base (faster answers)
- Clearer escalation paths (less time figuring out next step)
4. Self-service for deflection
Every self-service resolution is one less ticket in queue:
- Improved FAQ/knowledge base
- Customer portal (account info, order status)
- Video tutorials for common issues
Long-Term Improvements (3-12 Months)
1. Predictive staffing
Use historical data to predict future volume:
- Day of week patterns
- Seasonal trends
- Event-driven spikes (product launches, outages)
- Growth trajectory
2. Proactive support
Reach out before customers need to contact you:
- Shipping delay notifications
- Account issue alerts
- Usage-based recommendations
3. Omnichannel optimization
Unified routing across all channels:
- Same agent pool for multiple channels
- Dynamic allocation based on demand
- Consistent experience regardless of entry point
4. AI-human hybrid optimization
Continuous improvement of AI capabilities:
- AI handles more over time
- Humans focus on complex issues
- AI assists humans for faster resolution
Response Time by Scenario
Pre-Sale Inquiries
Why it matters most: Customer is ready to buy. Slow response = lost sale.
| Scenario | Target |
|---|---|
| "How much does X cost?" | Under 2 minutes |
| "Do you offer Y feature?" | Under 2 minutes |
| "Can I schedule a demo?" | Under 5 minutes |
| "I'm comparing you to competitor" | Under 2 minutes |
Technical Issues
Why it matters: Customer is stuck, possibly losing money.
| Scenario | Target |
|---|---|
| Complete outage | Under 15 minutes (acknowledgment) |
| Feature not working | Under 1 hour |
| "How do I do X?" | Under 2 hours |
| Bug report | Under 4 hours (acknowledgment) |
Billing Issues
Why it matters: Money is involved, emotions run high.
| Scenario | Target |
|---|---|
| Unauthorized charge | Under 30 minutes |
| Invoice question | Under 2 hours |
| Refund request | Under 4 hours |
| Receipt/invoice request | Under 24 hours |
Complaints
Why it matters: Already unhappy, slow response makes it worse.
| Scenario | Target |
|---|---|
| Active complaint | Under 1 hour |
| Social media complaint | Under 30 minutes |
| Escalation request | Under 30 minutes |
Managing Response Time Expectations
Setting Expectations Proactively
On your website:
- State expected response times by channel
- Be honest (under-promise, over-deliver)
In queue/waiting:
- Provide estimated wait time
- Offer callback option for phone
- Show queue position
In auto-acknowledgments (email):
- State realistic timeframe
- Provide self-service alternatives
- Set next-step expectations
When You Cannot Meet Targets
Sometimes volume spikes or issues occur. How you handle it matters:
Immediate actions:
- Update auto-responses with revised timeframe
- Triage ruthlessly (urgent gets priority)
- Call in additional help if available
- Consider proactive outreach to longest-waiting customers
Communication:
- Be honest about delay
- Apologize sincerely
- Provide timeline for response
- Offer alternative if possible
Channel Steering
Guide customers to channels where you can respond faster:
From slow to fast:
- "For fastest response, try our live chat"
- "Need immediate help? Call us at..."
- "Check our FAQ for instant answers"
Away from overwhelmed channels:
- "Phone lines are very busy. Chat typically responds in under 2 minutes."
Measuring and Reporting
Real-Time Dashboards
What agents need to see:
- Current queue depth
- Oldest waiting ticket
- Response time trend (last hour)
- Their personal metrics
What managers need to see:
- All of above
- Team comparison
- SLA compliance rate
- Predicted volume for rest of day
Daily/Weekly Reports
Track over time:
- Average FRT trend
- Percentile trends
- SLA compliance
- By channel, by priority, by agent
Monthly Business Reviews
Connect to business outcomes:
- Response time vs. CSAT correlation
- Response time vs. retention
- Cost of missed SLAs
- Improvement initiatives and impact
Key Takeaways
- First impression: Response time sets the tone for entire interaction
- Channel-specific: Different channels have very different expectations
- Measure correctly: Track multiple metrics, segment properly
- Quick wins exist: Routing, templates, and triage can help immediately
- AI is the answer for speed: Instant response, 24/7, at scale
- Manage expectations: If you cannot be fast, at least be honest
Improve Response Time Instantly
Oxaide provides instant response across all channels:
- Under 5 seconds: Every message, every time
- 24/7 coverage: No after-hours delays
- Multi-channel: WhatsApp, Instagram, Web Chat, Email
- 60%+ automation: Fewer tickets for your team